Playing Favorites
by Lyralocke
Summary: Kataang, oneshot. Their first daughter was, without a doubt, a momma's girl.


_Daddyfic. Yeah. I went and did it._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

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Aang sighed. He could hear his wife and daughter in the next room, giggling. Katara was telling another one of her endearing stories about her childhood at the South Pole. The stupid things Sokka did, the silly songs her father sang, the things her mother taught her that she never forgot.

The Avatar scratched Momo idly behind the ears as he sat on his and Katara's bed. He had been reading a letter sent from the Northern Water Tribe, but the laughter distracted him. Adorable laughter. The laughter of a little girl and her mother.

Their daughter was two years old, approaching three. She was already beautiful with her dark Water Tribe skin and hair. There was so little of Aang in her appearance, it might have worried him if he didn't trust Katara so completely it didn't even occur to him to wonder about it. After all, she had his eyes. She unmistakably had his eyes. Katara often commented on it, going on about how she thought it was her daughter's most attractive feature, and it never ceased making Aang smile.

She was smart too. She was walking and talking long before she turned two. But she was not a bender. There was no airbender training to attend to. No waterbending lessons. No gliders to make, no prayers and meditation to teach.

Aang loved his daughter. He loved running with her and laughing with her and playing with her. He loved teaching her about clouds and wild berries and the spirits and the airbenders.

But his daughter was, without a doubt, a momma's girl.

Katara joined him shortly, sitting beside him as he leaned back against the headboard.

"I put her down for a nap," she said simply in reply to his unasked question. He pulled her closer to his side, moving his hand from Momo's ears to Katara's stomach. She was four months pregnant with their second child, and her stomach had become a constant resting place for his hands.

"She likes you better," Aang sighed after a short silence.

Katara sighed as well, rolling her eyes in amusement. They'd had this conversation before.

"Aang…" she began.

"No really," he continued, frowning. "She'd always rather spend time with you."

"Aang," she laughed. He glanced at her. She smiled at him. "Every child goes through favorite parent phases. In a few years, she'll want to spend all of her time with you."

"Maybe," he shrugged, glancing away from her.

She laughed again and rested her head on his shoulder. She laid a hand over his, which still rested on her stomach.

"Well if all else fails, maybe this one will like you better," she teased quietly.

He nudged her shoulder, unable to keep himself from smiling.

"I'm glad you're taking me seriously," he muttered.

She laughed again and leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Seriously," she sighed and squeezed his hand. "This one is a boy."

He smiled at her curiously. "How can you tell?"

"I can tell," she replied simply. "Probably an airbender, too."

"Now that I know you can't tell," he murmured, turning and kissing the top of her head.

"Don't be so sure," she said, smiling. "I have a strong feeling there's going to be a little monk running around in a few months."

"And I have a strong feeling you need some sleep," he said quietly, moving away from her and kissing her cheek. "Relax, I'll go check on her."

"Mmmkay," she murmured, settling back into the pillows and resuming Aang's place scratching Momo's ears.

Aang paused in the doorway when he heard her whisper, "Love you."

He smiled. "Love you too," he replied just as quietly, moving out into the hallway. Their daughter's room was only a few feet down the hall. After all, they lived in the Southern Air Temple, and it could get rather large and creepy in the dark night hours. Especially for a two-year-old.

Said two-year-old was lying on her little bed, clearly not asleep but attempting to be. She sat up when she heard him in the doorway.

"Hey kid," he said with a smile.

"Hey Daddy," she replied, grinning. He walked in and sat down beside her. She clamored into his lap without preamble. "Mommy told me a story about you today."

"Oh really?" he asked with a bit of genuine surprise. Up until now, Katara had mostly stuck to stories about the South Pole. Apparently she had run out and was getting into their journey.

"Mmhmm," his daughter hummed in affirmation, nodding. She yawned, but seemed determined to stay awake until she related the story to him. "She said the first time you showed Uncle Sokka you can fly, you flew into his watchtower and it fell on you."

Aang laughed. "Oh wow, I totally forgot about that," he admitted.

"Probably because a load of snow fell on your head," his daughter giggled.

"Are you making fun of me?" Aang asked playfully, tickling her stomach until she was laughing out loud.

Aang loved the sound of his daughter's laugh. It was so much like his, Katara told him.

"After your nap, we're going to go out and play with Appa, alright?" Aang asked her when her giggling quieted.

"Alright!" she returned excitedly. He tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead. "Love you, Daddy."

Aang smiled from the doorway. "Love you too."

"I told you."

Aang glanced down the hall into his own room. Katara was leaning against the doorframe, smirking. He rolled his eyes and approached her, placing his hands on her hips and leaning his forehead against hers.

"You know you don't always have to be right," he said quietly, smiling.

"I know I don't have to be," she replied with a shrug. "But you're so set on this favoritism thing, it's got me a little worried."

He opened his eyes and frowned, concerned. "What do you mean?"

She grinned at him. "I'm just starting to think you like her better than me," she teased.

He laughed and leaned closer, laying a soft kiss on her lips. "Please, I don't play favorites."


End file.
